BELLEVUE, WA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 01/08/2008 -- Zango, an online media company, today announced that Fortinet's recently posted "Fortiguard Advisory," claiming Zango's involvement with a "malicious Facebook Widget," is blatantly untrue.
Contrary to Fortinet's advisory posted late last week that falsely claimed that Zango software was being surreptitiously installed by the "Secret Crush" Facebook widget, at no point while adding the Secret Crush application to a Facebook profile did the widget attempt to install Zango software. Neither does the application install any third-party software.
"Fortinet's 'Facebook Widget Installing Spyware' advisory is blatantly untrue," said Keith Smith, CEO of Zango. "The falsification of a security report is absolutely irresponsible and reprehensible. Fortinet should do the right thing and correct its advisory."
The Secret Crush widget is neither a Zango application nor is it affiliated with Zango in any way. Zango does not own it, did not manufacture it, and did not bundle software with it.
"I've read the Fortinet advisory and have worked with the Zango security team reviewing the report's claims," said Richard Purcell, CEO of the Corporate Privacy Group (and former Microsoft chief privacy officer). "After reviewing the evidence, it is clear that Zango was not involved with the 'Secret Crush' widget. Reports of silent or surreptitious installations of Zango software in connection with that widget -- or otherwise -- are just not true."
What the Fortinet report writer saw was simply an ad for a Zango application after the widget was added to a Facebook profile -- an ad not connected to the widget and not unlike any other ad on the Internet that might appear on a Web page. The Zango advertisement, seen by Fortinet's researcher but not by Zango's security team at any point during the subsequent investigation, was just one in a series of rotating advertisements that a user might see after installing the Secret Crush application. If clicked on, the ad led users to Zango's standard notice and consent process (in this case for Zango Astrology: http://www.zango.com/destination/catalog/contentGateway.aspx?ref=60267&pid=29) in which users are clearly notified as to the quid pro quo of advertising in exchange for content access. More information on the Zango install process can be found at Zango.com (http://www.zango.com/Destination/Corporate/BestPractices.aspx).
For further analysis on the Fortinet advisory, please see the Zango blog titled "Fortinet's 'Facebook Widget' Advisory False" (http://www.zango.com/destination/corporate/blog.aspx).
About Zango
A pioneer of what we call the Content Economy, Zango, an online media company, fulfills millions of consumers' growing demand for free, sought-after online videos, games, music, tools and utilities, giving those consumers greater choice and control over when, where and how they access that content. Zango's vision enables content creators to monetize and distribute their content, provides publishers access to valuable and unique content as well as a way to make money from their Web traffic, and delivers to advertisers industry-leading ROI through time-shifted ad delivery by engaging consumers precisely when they are most likely to make a purchasing decision. Committed to safe and ethical practices, Zango welcomes tens of thousands of new opt-in consumers every day. For more information, visit www.zango.com.
Zango representatives are available for further comment on this story. To coordinate call specifics, please contact Kelly Burkett of Raffetto Herman Strategic Communications at 206-264-1703 or kburkett@rhstrategic.com.
Contact: Kelly Burkett Raffetto Herman Strategic Communications 206-264-1703 Email Contact